New Hampshire’s White Mountains are one of America’s major year-round vacation destinations. Visitors enjoy uninterrupted mountain and river views, waterfalls, woodlands, and charming New England villages, as well as just about all outdoor sports and recreational activities. Amazingly, the White Mountain National Forest registers more visitors annually than Yellowstone and Yosemite combined. But with almost 800,000 acres, the National Forest never seems crowded!
The White Mountains have become a mecca for active outdoor enthusiasts. The area offers some of the best skiing and hiking in New England. Golf is very popular with our guests. In addition, many other sports and recreational activities are readily accessible – tennis, biking, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, snowmobiling, and dog sledding are available within minutes of The Highlands Inn. The White Mountains National Forest Ranger Station in Bethlehem has maps and lots of additional information.
Other activities enjoyed by the Inn’s guests include moose watching, New Hampshire’s tax-free shopping, summer theatre, and antiquing. You’ll find several antique shops right in Bethlehem.
And there are spectacular scenic drives in all directions! The scenery is fabulous at all times of the year, but especially during the fall foliage season, when the mountains are ablaze with autumn colors.
The area also boasts many excellent restaurants, both casual and “gourmet.” The Inn maintains notebooks of menus from local restaurants; staff members are always happy to help guests find the type of restaurant they’re looking for.
Several local restaurants give discounts to our guests. So be sure to ask us!
We also have discounts for golf, skiing (downhill and cross-country), and ziplines!
Listed below are some of the attractions within a short drive from The Highlands Inn
In Bethlehem:
- Two Donald Ross 18-hole golf courses
- Driving range
- Tennis courts
- Antiquing
- Colonial Theatre art cinema
- The Rocks Estate – cut-your-own Christmas trees, horse drawn wagon rides, dog sled rides, NH artisans’ products
- Women’s Rural Entrepreneurial Network – farmers’ market, gallery
- Bethlehem Heritage Society
Within 15 minutes:
- Bretton Woods/Mt Washington Hotel – downhill and cross-country skiing, golf, horseback riding, sleigh rides, historic site, guided mt rock wall climb, canopy tour/ziplines, scenic lift rides
- Cannon Mountain – aerial tramway, downhill skiing
- Franconia Notch State Park and bike path
- The Flume and Basin – hiking
- Site of The Old Man of the Mountain
- Sleigh rides
- Echo, Moore, and Forest lakes
- Horseback riding – seasonal
- Weathervane and Papermill summer theatres
- Waterfalls
- North Country Chamber Players
- Robert Frost Museum
- Arts Alliance of Northern NH
- Maple sugaring farms and sugar houses
- Snowmobiling
- New England Ski Museum
- Sugar Hill Historical Museum
Within 30 minutes:
- Attitash – Alpine skiing, Alpine slide, scenic chairlift ride, horseback riding
- Dog sled rides
- Mt. Washington Cog Railway
- Kancamagus Highway – scenic drive, hiking
- Loon Mountain – skiing, gondola, caves, horseback riding, zipline, bungee trampoline, climbing wall, mt bike rentals, ice skating, guided Segway tours
- Snowmobiling
- Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom
- Catamount Art Center – art cinema
- Moose tours
- Ziplines – off road safari tours, aerial adventure park, zipline canopy tours, winter zipline
- Woodstock Inn brewery tours
- Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium
- Snowmobile rentals
- Santa’s Village
Within 45 minutes:
- Jackson Ski Touring
- North Conway – tax-free outlet shopping
- Conway Scenic Railroad
- Mt. Washington Auto Road and SnowCoach
- Waterville Valley – downhill skiing
- Cabot Cheese factory tours
- ZipRider at Wildcat ski resort
- Stephen Huneck Gallery & Dog Chapel
- History of logging
- Tree climbing
- The Flying Monkey – movies, live events
- Moose tours, Gorham NH
- Wildlife viewing and birding
- Tuckerman brewery tours
- White water rafting & dog sledding
- Story Land
- Kayaking & snowshoe adventures
Over 45 minutes:
- Vermont winery tours
- New Hampshire wineries
- Ben & Jerry’s factory tours
- Horseback riding year round – also wagon, sleigh & carriage rides
- McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center – space exploration
- Moonlight Meadery – tours and tastings
More Information
New Hampshire Winter Adventures
Also check our events calendar for some seasonal festivals in the area
Kids Are Welcome at the Inn
There is plenty to do with kids at The Highlands Inn! Kids enjoy swimming in our pool, exploring the wooded trails, searching for tadpoles in our pond, flying kites in our field, as well as visiting local attractions such as Story Land, The Whale’s Tale, and The Cog Railway. In the Winter months, you can cross country ski or snow-shoe on the property, sled down our hill, or visit one of many local ski areas. Call us if we can help you choose your rooms and plan your fun family vacation!
